Goodbye Hawaii, Hello Maryland
by Landon Richardson
Summary: Steve McGarrett had always thought that being told his mother was dead was the worst thing his father could tell him until the moment he was informed that he was being shipped off to Maryland to live with his Aunt and Uncle who he had never met. Now on top of his grief, Steve has to try and settle into a new life. One that will end up changing his life forever.


The McDanni Saga

By

Landon Richardson

Disclaimer

 **The character of Steve McGarrett, John McGarrett, Doris McGarrett and Mary McGarrett do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes**

 **The character of Michael Landon, Karen Landon, Louise Landon, Tyler Landon, Morgan Landon, Dean Landon, Ethan McGarrett, Isabelle McGarrett and Danni Richardson however do belong to me so please do not use these characters without asking**

 **I should also add that if a character is mentioned who you are not instantly aware of then that character belong to me as well**

Author Note

 **This without doubt was the story which I never ever thought would see the light of day and which I am genuinely terrified about putting up.**

 **I started writing this at the same time I started writing 'The Beginning' so when I was still making my way through watching the actual TV series before we learned more about Steve and his family, I knew about vaguely about Mary but I also gave Steve another younger brother and sister who were twins, by the time I realised that it was only him and Mary in the actual show it was too late, the twin were integral to the story and I had grown to love them and their relationship with Steve and with Mary.**

 **I decided that I wanted to write a story started from when Steve was sent away from Hawaii when he was fifteen and moving on from there. It was split into five different sections highlighting key times in his life:**

 **The Maryland years, The Academy years, the Navy SEALs years, The Hawaii years and lastly the 50 years.**

 **All of it was based on two simple ideas.**

 **One) Steve moved in with his Dad's rarely mentioned younger brother and his family in Maryland and actually experienced a good childhood with them**

 **And**

 **Two) Danni didn't live in Jersey and instead she actually lived down the street from Steve and they ended up together while at school and they married young and remained together through all the good times and the bad times.**

 **It's this saga which has kept me involved in writing for the 50 fandom and it features all of the characters in the show including male Danny who actually makes an appearance much earlier than you'd think. I've created my own world with these characters and went with it.**

 **I've included obviously the way I view Steve's upbringing with his family as well before his mother 'died'**

 **This story is definitely A/U and it does feature a lot of OC, you'll probably recognise names from my other stories. All those characters originate from this.**

 **This story is my baby!**

 **Anyway I really hope you enjoy this story. They will all be one shots but long one shots so please don't let the length put you off! If I get one review I will be the happiest girl in the world!**

 **Enough from me! Read on**

Overall Summary

 **Steve McGarrett had always thought that being told his mother was dead was the worst thing his father could tell him until the moment he was informed that he was being shipped off to Maryland to live with his Aunt and Uncle who he had never met. Now on top of his grief, Steve has to try and settle into a new life. One that will end up changing his life forever.**

Chapter Summary

 **Steve McGarrett stepped out of the arrival lounge at the Ronald Reagan Washington international airport and looked around him.**

Overall Romance

 **There are way too many romances to mention for the complete saga so it's best to simply look at the Chapter romance sections instead**

Chapter Romance

 **John McGarrett / Doris McGarrett**

 **Michael Landon / Karen Landon**

Other note

 **Nearly all the places I have stated are either made up or I've got from the internet so I'm sorry in advance if I get an address wrong or anything. My geography on Hawaii is very poor having never been there before!**

* * *

The Maryland years

Part One

Goodbye Hawaii, Hello Maryland

* * *

 **Thursday 30th April 1992**

* * *

Steve McGarrett stepped out of the arrival lounge at the Ronald Reagan Washington international airport and looked around him. His hand gripping the handle of his suitcase tightly as his eyes scanned the large crowd outside of the entry doorway. His gaze lingered on each and every face looking for anything which might have sparked a flare of recognition in him but there was nothing, just a void in his head sucking his thoughts in.

He felt so tired, his grief weighing him down. How could it only have been two weeks since everything in his life had turned upside down? Two weeks ago everything had been normal for him. He had been living in Hawaii in the same house he had lived in since he had been born. He had been going to school, he was coming out at the top of his class in his lessons, he was the star quarterback on their football team, he even had a girlfriend who he had just started dating a month or so previously. Life had been great and then one day it all just combusted when the police had turned up at their door. Steve had been the one to answer it, his small six year old brother right behind him, staring up at him with big questioning blue eyes. Steve as young as he was had recognised the look on the man's face as trouble so he had picked his brother up, resting him on his hip and called for his Dad, waiting for him to appear before he had turned and ran into the playroom, closing the door behind him.

He had no idea how long he had stayed in that playroom keeping his twelve year old sister Mary and the seven year old twins Ethan and Isabelle occupied, sneaking out quietly to get them drinks and snacks to tide them over until their mum got back from work and began making them dinner. Only she didn't come back and their Dad didn't come so Steve had been forced to feed them the only thing he knew how to make; beans on toast and then he had been forced to put the twins to bed followed an hour later by Mary who was old enough to know something had been wrong and had fought him every step of the way.

He had gone to his father's office, staring at the closed door for a moment, frightened by taking the next step but knowing that he had to know. He had knocked on the door and entered, frowning when he saw how dark it was in the room. For a moment he had thought that his Dad wasn't there until he noticed a shadowed figure in the chair. Steve had called to him, asking if he was okay and where his mum was but his dad had remained silent before he had suddenly spoke, his voice dead and hollow, sounding like a stranger to Steve, telling him to go to bed and they would speak in the morning. Steve had wanted to argue the point but instead he had turned and done as asked.

The next day their father had woken them all up, gathered them into the living room and sat them down, looking at them before he had spoken, telling them that their mother had been killed in a car crash the day before. Steve had just stared at him, wrapping an arm around Isabelle when the small girl had crawled over to him, frightened by their father's tone and clearly not understanding what was happening but Steve understood.

His mother was dead.

There would be no more hugs from her, no more ruffling his hair or making him pancakes in the morning. He would never again hear her voice or her laughter which always somehow had managed to come out surprised. She was gone, his beautiful, loving mother would never be back. She was lost to him, to them. Steve had tried to hold it together and he might have managed it if his Dad hadn't of continued speaking in that same unfamiliar voice which caused Steve to shiver. Telling them that they were leaving Hawaii for the time being. For an instant Steve had thought he had meant as a family but then he had gone on to explain that Ethan and Isabelle would be going to their Uncle Will and Auntie Sophie's house in New York to stay. Mary was going to LA to stay with their Aunt Deborah while Steve himself was being sent to live in Maryland with their Uncle Mike and Auntie Karen. Relatives who they had never met before in their lives.

Steve knew for a fact that LA was on opposite sides of the mainland from Maryland and New York, the only way that Mary could be further apart was if she had been sent to Europe or somewhere similar. The chances of Steve being able to see his siblings on a regular basis was slight at best and completely dependent on three strangers to him.

He had immediately argued the point with his father unable to keep silent any longer. He had come up with reason after reason, all rational, about why they should remain where they were in Hawaii or at least why they should be sent to the same place to live but it had been hopeless. Even when Mary and the twins had gotten involved by throwing temper tantrums it still hadn't swayed their father who simply ignored them as though it wasn't happening. His mind had been made up and that was it.

They had buried their mother two days later and the next day their Dad had forced them to pack up their belongings, watching them silently from the door as they did until their bedrooms were empty of everything they owned. He had sent the boxes before them and then driven them to the airport without giving them a chance to say goodbye to anyone who was important to them, not their friends or neighbours or anyone. Steve had been the first one to go since he had been the only one old enough to fly alone. The others were getting picked up by their Uncle Will who was flying in from New York to pick them up, dropping Mary off at LA before he continued on with the twins to his own home.

Steve had hugged the twins tightly when it had been time for him to go, trying to sooth them both when they burst into tears clearly confused by what was happening and why Steve was going without them. He had promised them he would stay in touch with them, giving them a final kiss before he had turned his attention to Mary dragging his younger sister into a hug before making the same promise to her to keep in contact. Then he had simply turned and walked away, unable to bring himself to either hug or say a word to his father.

The flight to Maryland had taken him ten hours including a stop off in Las Vegas which had lasted fifty minutes. Steve spent the journey either sleeping or staring at the back of the chair in front of him blankly. He ignored everyone who tried to speak to him, his thoughts consuming him as he tried desperate to figure out how this could now be his life. He had been abandoned by his own father, his mother was dead, he was separated by thousands of miles from his siblings and he was being sent to the house of a family he had never even met before. The thoughts made him feel sick and lightheaded.

How could his father do this to him, Mary, Ethan and Isabelle? How could he just discard them like unwanted rubbish? Why was he sending them away from everything they knew? Surely it would have been better to have just kept them together as a family and try to get over the loss together?

The flight seemed to have taken forever while he had been trapped on the plane but now that he was here in Maryland it felt as though it hadn't taken long enough. He swallowed hard, blinking back tears before he set his shoulders. He was here now and that was that. There was no way he could go back home now regardless of what he wanted.

Steve stepped further into the large crowded room, looking around him with a growing sense of hopelessness that his uncle had forgotten to pick him up when his eyes suddenly landed on a simple white piece of card, completely blank except for his name which was written in big, bold black capital letters which made it impossible to miss even at the distance he was at.

He stopped for a moment, breathing in a deep shaky breath before he slowly released it and turned away from the direction he had been heading to walk towards the person holding the piece of card with his name on it. He slowly lifted his eyes from the floor to take a look at his Uncle for the first time.

His Uncle looked as though he was in his early to mid-thirties. He was tall, possibly the same height as Steve's father though it was hard to tell for definite without having them stand next to each other. He had an athletic build as though he worked out every day and was dressed casually in a pair of dark jeans and a simple blue polo shirt. He had thick wavy dark blond hair which was cut short and his face looked vaguely familiar to him. There were some similarities with his father that Steve could pick up on but what really struck him was the difference. Steve's father was a quiet man, firm and distantly loving with his children who had always looked as though the world was pressing down on him threatening to crush him. His Uncle however looked calm and peaceful, almost happy as though he often laughed or grinned at things.

The eyes were completely different as well. Steve's father's eyes were pale blue in colour, fairly close together with short dark lashes. His Uncle's eyes however were large with long lashes and were a strange mixture of Green and grey that were difficult to look away from. Eyes which were currently focused on Steve as he made his way over to him.

Steve forced himself to meet his Uncle's eyes directly and was surprised to only see an expression of sadness and kindness in the direct gaze. It was such a contrast to the way his father had been looking at him for the past two weeks that it floored him for a moment. His father had looked through them since he had broken the news of their mother's death to them. Not seeing them, not reacting to them, merely acting as though they weren't there and counting on Steve to pick up the slack for him. His Uncle however clearly saw him, not only saw him but was looking at him as though he could see straight into Steve's soul, seeing all the good and the bad within. Steve felt as though he had been judged with just one single look.

He waited for the man to turn and walk away from him, abandoning him to his fate like his Dad had done but instead his Uncle merely smiled at him, a warm, friendly smile which helped ease away some of the tension which had been eating away at Steve since the beginning to his journey.

He stopped in front of his Uncle, adjusting the strap of his rucksack over his shoulder as he waited for the tall man in front of him to say something to him.

"Steve?" He asked, his voice quiet and deep with a slight huskiness to it that was strangely comforting. It was the type of voice which never needed to speak above its current level to be listened to and obeyed. Steve nodded his head once, a jerky movement as he lowered his gaze to stare at his Uncle's polo top instead of his eyes. "It's good to meet you finally though I wish for your sake that it was under happier circumstances than this." He commented, his voice sounding sad for a moment before he continued speaking. "I'm your Uncle Michael, your father's youngest brother. Obviously you don't have to call me Uncle Michael if you don't want to, I'm just as happy for you to drop the Uncle part and to call me Michael or Mike, I'll leave the decision to you to make. Just do me a favour and don't call me Mikey under any circumstances. I've got some bad memories attached to that particular nickname thanks to your father and your Uncle Will." He commented, his face breaking into a wide grin, eyes twinkling in amusement beneath the bright airport lights. "So now that introductions are done I suggest we get out of there. Have you got everything which you came with or do we need to make a pit stop at the lost property desk to complain?" He asked.

Steve glanced up at him in surprise, searching his eyes again before he smiled slightly at him, shaking his head in response to Mike's question.

"This is it" He said "I've just got my suitcase and my rucksack, my dad said-" Steve's voice trailed off into silence.

"Hey don't sweat it, I lived with your dad for nine years and I haven't forgotten what he is like. I can well imagine what he said, or rather what he didn't say" Mike told him, an undercurrent of anger to his voice for a moment before he shrugged and smiled again instead. "It doesn't matter anyway Steve, we can get you everything which you might need here in Maryland including clothes more suitable for the climate here. I don't think the clothes you have will cut it for a winter or spring here. It's not Hawaii but there are worse places which you could have ended up." He told him. "Now let's get out of here. I don't know about you but I'm pretty hungry! Let me take this from you." He said reaching down and taking the suitcase from Steve and ignored Steve's half-hearted protest as he placed his hand on his shoulder and propelled him forward, though the crowds and towards the exit of the airport.

"You don't mind me being here?" Steve asked, the question bursting from his mouth before he even realised that he had been about to say something.

"Not at all" Michael replied instantly. "You're family to me Steve. You're my brother's son and we take care of our own. My car is parked over this way so let's go home, Your Aunt and cousins are curious to meet you." He remarked, squeezing down on Steve's shoulder before he released him, digging into his jean pockets and pulling out a set of car keys.

He led Steve away from the airport entrance and towards a sleek looking blue car in the short term parking area.

"Let's dump your stuff in the trunk" Michael said, heading to the back of the vehicle and opened the trunk, putting the suitcase in before he held out his hand for Steve's rucksack. Steve blinked for a moment, his thoughts whirling around his head before he shrugged and passed the bag to his Uncle who dropped it into the trunk and slammed the lid down. "Come on, let's go Steve"

Steve nodded slowly moving to the front of the car and climbed into the passenger seat, closing the door behind him and securing his seatbelt. He watched from the corner of his eyes as his Uncle climbed into the driving seat next to him and started the engine up. Current music flooded the car as did a blast of cool air which made Steve shiver.

"Sorry about that" Michael remarked, leaning across and turning off the air con. "It probably take you a while to adjust to the change in climate. I know from my mom that the weather in Hawaii is a lot hotter than it is here in Maryland especially at this time of the year." He smiled reassuringly at Steve before he twisted in his seat, a look of concentration coming to his face as he reversed the car out of their parking space and drove towards the exit. They were silence for a moment before Michael spoke again, keeping his eyes on the road as he indicated to the left, heading onto the freeway. "You probably have some questions that you want answering so now might be the best time for you to ask them. I won't lie to you Steve living in our home is the equivalent of living in a mad house sometimes, our daughter, three sons and dogs make sure of that.

Steve nodded at him, glancing out of the window at the passing scenery, scenery which was completely different to what he was used to seeing outside a car window. Gone was the beach and the palm trees and the ocean and instead there were buildings and fields. It was jarring causing him to swallow hard, ignoring the sharp pain the difference caused him even as he wondered what his friends back home were doing. Did they know he was gone yet? Would his dad even bother to tell anyone?

"So" Steve said finally forcing his attention away from his depressing thoughts. "You have a daughter and three sons then?" He questioned, glancing toward his Uncle as the other man nodded, a warm loving look coming to his face.

"Yep just the four at the moment" He answered Steve. "Our daughter Louise is the eldest at eighteen, she's attending Stanford at the moment so you won't see her other than holiday times and the odd long weekend. Tyler is the eldest boy, he turned sixteen a week ago today, then there's Morgan who is twelve at the moment though he turned thirteen in a few weeks' time and Dean is the baby of the family at two though he'll be the first to tell you that he's nearly three." Michael commented, stopping at a red light and turning to look at Steve. "You don't have to worry though, you'll have your own bedroom which you won't have to share with anyone. You obviously are aware that our surname is Landon though, not McGarrett. Me and your Aunts Iris, Ruby and Debs are a result of your grandmother's second marriage after her first husband died at Pearl Harbour, god rest his soul" Michael said making the sign of the cross over himself before he set off again. "You've met your grandmother Jeanine right?" He asked, his mouth falling open in blatant disbelief when Steve shook his head. "Jesus, that will be one of the first things we change, she'll want to meet you straight away. Your Dad and I were raised together, at one time he considered us family, my dad raised him and Will like they were his own. You'll meet my Dad as well, him and Mum are still happily married living a few streets over from us" Michael said before he shook his head in disbelief. "You'll be meeting a lot of your family it seems."

"How long exactly am I going to be staying with you?" Steve demanded suddenly, his voice rising with every word he spoke, drowning out the soft music from the radio. "Two weeks? A month? Longer than a month? Is me staying here with you a short term thing while my Dad sorts his head out of should I just resign myself to the fact that I'm now in Maryland to stay?"

Michael remained silent for a moment after Steve's outburst before he spoke, his voice calm and steady, the tone of it soothing some of Steve's anger despite himself. Anger was the only thing keeping the tears at bay for him, without it he would be lost.

"I wish I could answer that question for you Steve. What exactly did your father say to you when he told you what was happening?" He questioned.

Steve blinked at him, surprised by the fact that his Uncle was speaking to him as though he was an equal. He swallowed, shrugging as he tilted his head back to the window, staring out with unseeing eyes.

"Nothing" He answered lowly after a moment. "Dad told us nothing, he gave us no explanation or reason as to why he's doing this to us. All he told us was that Ethan and Izzy were off to New York to stay with an Uncle they had never met, Mary was off to LA to stay with an Aunt she had never met and I was being sent here to stay with you."

Michael shook his head and sighed, coming off of the freeway they had been on into an quiet area which was full of residential houses, all with large front yards and gleaming cars in the drive way. The houses were large, larger than Steve was used to seeing which indicated that the people who lived in them were well off for money.

"I don't have anything to tell you yet Steve mainly because your father hasn't told me either" He said before his voice turned firm as he continued to speak. "I want you to know though that you're always welcome in our home Steve, the same way that you and your brother and your sisters have always been welcome. If this only turned out to be only for a few week then great, count it as a vacation with your family. If however it turns out to be a longer thing then a few weeks then so be it. You have a place here with us for as long as you need it."

"Look there has to be some sort of catch to this?" Steve persisted, turning in his seat so he could see the side of Michael's face. "No one is this nice so what is it? Is my father giving you money to do this? Is that why you've taken me in for the extra cash, you said it yourself that you have four kids, five with me there."

"Trust me when I say that money is not an object to me and it's not my motivation" Michael told him bluntly "And for the record the answer is no, your father isn't giving me any money for taking you in but even if he did I wouldn't accept anything from him." He stated, a strange undercurrent to his voice which Steve couldn't recognise.

"Well if it isn't the money then why are you taking me in when I'm a stranger to you and your family?" Steve shouted, running his hand over his face, his head swimming

"Because you're my nephew Steven" Michael answered sharply, pulling the car to the kerb and facing Steve, keeping quiet until Steve looked towards him again. "You are family and family means everything to me. You do no turn your back on your family when they need you regardless of everything else, something which your father has forgotten in recent years. I can't sit here and tell you the reasons behind Johnny's decisions because I simply don't know. I haven't seen my brother in fourteen years. All I can say to you is what I said before, that you won't be without a home while I'm still alive. My home is your home Steve for as long as you need it to be. I haven't the foggiest how long you're going to stay with us and to be frank I don't really care either. You're here now and we're going to take care of you like one of our own because that's what you are, different surnames or not." Michael held his eye for a moment, his gaze as blunt and frank as his words were before he turned his attention back to his driving, eyes fixed on the road leaving Steve to work through what he had just heard.

Steve wasn't sure how much time has passed in the car since his Uncle had pulled over and given him the raw facts straight. It could have been only ten minutes or it could have been more.

Steve spent the time staring miserably out of the passenger window, wondering how his siblings were. Had they reached their own destinations yet? Were they still crying or were they okay now? They might not have gotten on a hundred percent of the time with each other but they were still his baby sisters and his baby brother. They still needed him in their lives. Perhaps his Uncle would let him call his Aunt Deb and Uncle Will that night so he could speak to Mary, Ethan and Isabelle. Maybe if he spoke to them it would help ease the ball of tension knotted in his stomach.

He glanced towards his Uncle from the corner of his eyes, there was always the chance that Michael was like his Dad and simply didn't speak to his other siblings. He thought it was unlikely given the warm tone which came to his Uncle's voice when he had mentioned his family. Steve had asked his dad a few times why he didn't speak to his family but he had always dodged the question. The most that Steve had known was that his Uncle Will was the eldest of them, while Iris, Ruby, Debs and Michael were younger by a bit and that had been information he had gained from his mother.

His Uncle had fallen silent giving Steve the time to sort his thoughts out which Steve was grateful for, the last thing he wanted was to have to try and make small talk with someone who was a stranger to him. He couldn't quite wrap his head around how different the man next to him compared to his father. His father was a cop, a man who was forced to hide his emotions behind a mask, and a mask he had worn for so long that he no longer knew how to take it off. His Uncle however didn't seem to have that same problem. Steve had no idea what his Uncle did for a living but whatever it was must have required him to be in touch with his emotions or at least to be able to speak about them. Steve knew from his mother that Michael was the youngest of the McGarrett-Landon family but Steve knew nothing about him. How old was Michael? How much younger than his own Dad was Michael? What sort of relationship did he have with his father? What had happened to stop his father from even mentioning his family? It made no sense to him at all and was making his head whirl.

"Here we are Steve, this is Summit Avenue, and we live at number 10321 so it's a bit of the way down." Michael said quietly, breaking the silence between them. Steve sat up in his chair, peering through the window as Michael hit the indicator, pulling into a large driveway behind a parked red car. "Here we go Steve, welcome to my home."

Steve blinked, slowly getting out of the car and stared up at the house in front of him.

It was only two stories high but it was a long house, massive would be the word which Steve would use to describe it. The wooden panels were painted a dark grey in colour with white trimmings. It was completely different from his home in Hawaii but it was surprisingly nice.

"Not too bad is it?" Michael remarked from behind him as he climbed out the driver's seat and slammed the door shut behind him. Steve swallowed closing his own door and stepped away from the blue car still staring at the building

His gaze came away from the house as the front door opened and a large black Labrador came running out, pink tongue hanging out as it made its way down the porch steps and over to him, circling Steve and sniffing at him before it barked once at him, looking up at him with big chocolate brown eyes, it's tail moving side to side violently as though he was happy to see Steve.

"Steve meets Hades" Michael said, heading towards the back of the car. "He's harmless, we've got five puppies in the house so I hope you're a dog person Steve." He remarked, sounding amused. Steve glanced at him as he hunched down, petting Hades who looked as though he was in ecstasy when Steve scratched at his neck.

"I love Dogs" Steve admitted. "We were never allowed to have them at home because my mum was allergic to them." He told Michael, ignoring the sharp throb of pain in his chest that the memory caused him to experience.

"Well you won't have that problem here" Michael told him with a laugh. "We are very much a Dog family here, the more the merrier in my eyes, isn't that right boy." He crooned to Hades when the dog moved away from Steve and bounded over to Michael, jumping up at him, barking as he did so. "Who is a good boy then?" The older man crooned, dropping Steve's bag to the ground and catching the large dog in his arms. The sight of his Uncle hugging Hades brought a smile to Steve's face before the door opened again.

"I thought I heard voices" A soft feminine voice said.

Steve turned automatically to see a woman walk out of the house. She was medium height, probably about five foot five and slim with wavy dark brown hair that was tied back away from her pretty face and bright green eyes which focused on Steve with the same direct expression that Michael had giving him when he had met him at the airport. There was a second movement behind her which caught his attention, his eyes dropped down catching sight of a pair of shy bright green eyes and a mop of dark blond hair before it disappeared again. Steve looked back up at the woman taking in her warm smile.

He jumped when his Uncle clapped down his hand on Steve's shoulder, gently using the grip to push him up the garden path towards where the woman was waiting for them. He lowered his eyes, watching as Hades bounded ahead of them, chasing after a butterfly, his tail furiously wagging as he playfully growled at it.

"Everything is going to be okay Steve, just take baby steps. There's no rush" Michael commented to him, attracting his attention as he squeezed down on Steve's shoulder, an unfamiliar touch of comfort before he let go and moved past him, coming to the woman's side and brushing a kiss against her mouth. Steve stared in surprise at the show of affection. He had never seen his parents be so open in their affection for each other, especially when there was someone around to see it. He watched as Michael pulled back, the two of them sharing a private smile before Michael turned his attention back to Steve.

"Karen" Michael said calmly as he casually slid his arm round the woman's shoulder. "This is our nephew Steve, he's Johnny's eldest boy. Steve, this is your Aunt Karen. My very much better other half." He introduced, a half smile curving his mouth as his gaze found Steve's. Steve stared back for a moment before he ducked his head, reading the message which had been loud and clear in his Uncle's eyes. Michael might accept his anger against the situation and deal with it but he would not allow a word to be spoken against Karen regardless of how Steve was feeling.

"Hello Steve, it's wonderful to finally meet you in the flesh." Karen said happily, the pleased gleam in her eyes informing Steve that she actually meant what she was saying to him. She truly was happy to meet him. He blinked, listening as she continued to speak. "Welcome to our home, we're happy to have you with us for however long it is you've come to stay" She told him before she stepped forward into Steve's personal space and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug which forced the air from his lungs. He froze in her hold, his eyes wide. It was the sort of hug which Steve had imagined mothers giving their kids but which he had never experienced before, at least not like this. He got a whiff of apple as she stepped back, a soft smile on her face. "While we're on introductions, this" She said turning round "Is our youngest son Dean, Deanie come and say hello your big cousin Steve, he's going to be staying for a while. It is okay honey, come out"

Steve blinked watching as a small boy came out from round the side of the house, bright green eyes glanced up at him through a long fringe of dark blond hair. The boy shot forward to Michael, wrapping his arm around his father's leg, all the while looking at Steve carefully.

"Dean" Michael said softly, running his hand over Dean's hair. Dean glanced up at him before he looked back at Steve.

"Welcome to our home Stevie" he announced, his voice quiet. Steve raised an eyebrow when Michael suddenly picked Dean up and threw him into the air, catching him and running around the front garden with him, the peace and quiet broken by Dean's shrieks of delight and Hades's barks as the dog ran excitedly around the pair of them.

"Dean is a little shy with strangers at first" Karen confided, looking at her husband and child with a smile. "But once he gets to know you he's start talking to you on his own. It might take a while but I find that with Dean it's always worth the wait." She turned to Steve and clapped her hands together. "Anyway enough of that, Michael will deal with your bag and your suitcase when he's stopped playing around with Dean, in the meantime why don't you come with me and I'll get you something to drink and perhaps something to eat as well, you must be starving. Airplane food is never filling." She smiled at him before she turned and headed up the steps leading to the porch and into the house, leaving the door opened behind her for her.

"Dean won't bother you too much" Michael said to him, coming to a top next to Steve again as Dean continued to run around the front yard with Hades. "He's a pretty quiet kid unlike the other three were. He's pretty content to sit in his chair and watch the world go by."

"Definitely not like the others" Karen agreed with a small huff of amusement. "I'll have to tell you about it one time." She told Steve before she looked back at Michael. "Can you take care of Steve's belongings? He's in the second spare room, the white and green one" She commented to Michael who nodded even as he followed her instructions.

"Has anyone taken the dogs out for their walk yet?" Michael queried, rolling his eyes when Karen shook her head at him. "Okay, I'll take them out later, maybe I'll bring Ty with me since Morgan came yesterday" He stated, flashing Steve a smile before he moved past them towards the car, Hades following close at his heels, his chase with Dean forgotten.

"Let's go inside Steve, Mike will take your stuff to your room, you can unpack it later on after you've been given the tour of the place" Karen said, nodding towards the partially open door. She turned and moved up the garden path, pushing the door open and heading through it. Steve glanced over his shoulder once towards his Uncle before he shrugged and followed her into the room. "You must be thirsty and probably hungry as well. I always find that airplane food is never filling, thirty minutes after you've had it, you're hungry again." She remarked.

"Yeah I guess" Steve forced himself to say, his head spinning.

He couldn't wrap his head around how friendly his Aunt and Uncle were being towards him. He had thought that they would be peeved to have him staying with them without little warning but instead they seemed to be genuinely glad to have him with them.

Why had his dad kept them away from his Uncle and the others?

He had thought maybe it was a mutual thing but that wasn't the impression he was getting. It would have been nice to grown up with Aunts and Uncles and Cousins, especially since Mike had said that his son Tyler was only sixteen, they were pretty much the same age as each other.

He looked towards Karen and spoke hesitantly.

"Should I take my boots off Ma'am" He queried, looking down at his feet, looking up when Karen made an amused sound at the back of her throat.

"I appreciate the thought Steve but there's no needs to worry about the floors. Between a teenage daughter, three sons, a husband and five dogs, the floors never stood a chance" She confided with a smile. "Oh and Steve, please don't call me Ma'am, it makes me feel incredibly old. I might not look it but I'm only in my earliest thirties. You can call me Aunt Karen or if you're too old for that or you find it too weird than calling me Karen or K will do. Whatever is easiest and you're happiest doing is good with me hon." She told him with another wide smile. "Now throw your coat on that chair and follow me. I'll give you a tour slightly later on." She commented watching him put the coat where she asked before she led him through a large sitting room and into a large, beautiful looking kitchen. "Now what do you want to drink? I can whip you up a snack if you're hungry as well or do you just want to wait until dinner?" She asked him with a questioning look.

"I'd just like a water please Aunt Karen" Steve answered, testing the words out. He had called some people back in Hawaii Aunt but it had been because it was a term of respect. He had never called someone Aunt before because they had actually been his Aunt and family.

"Are you sure you just want water?" Karen asked as she turned to a cupboard and opened it pulling out a glass. "We've got juice of every kind and a selection of sodas as well. We've got coffee and Teas as well. Your cousin Ty is a proper coffee drinker even at sixteen" she said, looking amused. "I blame his father for that"

"You blame me for what exactly?" Michael asked as he came into the kitchen with Dean in his arms before he turned his attention to Steve with a grin on his face. "I'd like to say Steve that I'm sorry in advance for this." Steve blinked as five puppies burst through the door, running around each other, jumping at Hades and Michael before they seemed to turn as one and spot Steve, running over to him and jumping up at them.

"Steve" Karen said with a laugh "Please meet the four horsemen of the apocalypse and the princess as we call them. The two husky belong to Tyler and they are called Snow and Zero, don't ask me why they are called that, you'll have to ask him, the chocolate one belongs to Morgan and is called Franklin and the golden one belongs to little man over there. And the one female dog belongs to our daughter Louise and is called Ruby."

"Mine is called Jasper" Dean volunteered, before he buried his face into Michael's neck.

"He's a beautiful puppy" Steve said "And Jasper is an awesome name for him" Dean glanced at him, a hesitant smile coming to his face. Steve swallowed hard, stroking the puppies before he spoke to Karen and Michael his voice low. "I appreciate you taking me in like this, I know… I know my father didn't give you any warning and… well I promise not to make you regret your decision" he rubbed at his eyes, silently cursing when he felt them fill with tears. "Where is the bathroom please?" he asked hoarsely.

"It just through the door there, head through the second living room and you'll see it" Michael replied quietly, Steve nodded, turning away quickly and hurrying through the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Karen Landon shook her head and placed the glass on the counter, her eyes fixed on the door her nephew had just walked through, her heart aching for him. He looked so defeated, a slump to his shoulder and a bewildered look in his hazel-blue eyes. It was no surprises considering everything which he had been through in the past two weeks. He might have been tall but that didn't change the fact that he was still a child, younger than her eldest two were. No child should have to go through what Steve had been through during the past two weeks.

She turned to Michael who was watching the doorway with a troubled look on his face.

"Personally Mike" she said, attracting his attention to her. "I think you should go online and book yourself a flight to Hawaii and go and beat the living hell out of your older brother for doing this" she stated with a shake of her head. "How could he do this to his own children? I know he's grieving but this is just taking it a step too far. Doesn't he care about his own children?" she demanded "I mean he has some nerve Mike after what he did to you all those years ago! And then ringing us up out of the blue and telling you that his son is on route to us. Why he wouldn't let us take Mary, Ethan or Isabelle in as well when we have plenty of room for them is beyond me at least they would have been together then."

"I know K" Michael said "This is Johnny all over but this isn't about my big brother, this is all about Steve. Steve is suffering and I can't stand for that, he is the only thing to focus on at the moment. He's going to need us and we have to be there for him. I doubt he will ever go back to Hawaii while he's a kid. Johnny won't call him or Mary or the twins back to him."

Karen sighed shaking her head.

"It's a good thing we've always wanted five kids" she said, "Looks like it's going to be four boys and a girl" Michael nodded, kissing Dean's cheek.

"Steve is a McGarrett, which makes him one of us. I'll take him anyway he will take us whether that as his Uncle, as a friend, or as a replacement father. It's time to show that boy through there that he has a family who love him, an extended family as well. We'll show him what being a true McGarrett-Landon means"

"I'm a Landon right Daddy?" Dean piped up. Michael nodded.

"You my little lad are the youngest Landon of them all" he told him, kissing his cheek again.

"Daddy's right" Karen added, "Now Deanie" she said looking at her three year old and meeting the bright green eyes which he had inherited from her "It's very important that we make Steve feel as welcome here as possible. He's going to be living with us for a while so it will be like having another big brother. So I want you to be as friendly and lovely as you are to Louise, Tyler and Morgan okay honey?"

Dean nodded his head at her.

"Yes Mamma" he replied.

"That's my boy" Michael said "Me and Mummy are very proud of you Dean" he told the small boy as he placed him on one of the kitchen stools surrounding the breakfast table. They looked open as the door opened and Steve re-entered, his hazel-blue eyes looking suspiciously red. Karen looked at him critically taking in the short dark hair, just long enough to show it was wavy and the hazel-blue eyes. The hazel-blue eyes might not be the usual eye colour for a McGarrett-Landon but everything else about him was, right down to his height and build. There was no doubt in her mind that Steve was a McGarrett through and through.

"You'll get to meet Tyler and Morgan in an hour, maybe less" Karen said brightly, turning to get Steve his water now that he was back in the room. "I'm sorry that they weren't here to meet you but Tyler has football practice after school and Morgan is currently in a debate session. He's on the debate team. I assume Mike's already told you that our only daughter is currently away at University right?" She asked, looking pleased when Steve nodded at him. "Take a seat Steve" she told him indicating one of the chairs.

"Right Louise is your eldest and Tyler and Morgan are your older sons, Twins?" Steve commented taking the seat she indicated, his gaze moving to Dean watching the small boy carefully, he looked as Dean reached across the table and took a cookie from one of the plates. Dean dragged it back to him, freezing when he noticed Steve's eyes on him. A scared look came to his face, Steve felt a slight smile come to his face as he winked at him, watching as Dean's shoulders slumped down in relief. He was surprised when the small boy pushed the cookie to him with a shy smile. Steve stared at it for a moment before he picked it off, eating half of it before he gave the other half to Hades.

"No, no, there's not twins in this family" Karen said with a smile. "You're mistaking us for the Clements-Richardson family who lives just outside of town, they have two sets of twins."

Steve watched as Dean jumped down on the table, a cookie in hand which he took a bite of before he sat on the floor, smiling when the puppies came to him. Steve glanced at his Aunt and Uncle before he joined Dean on the ground

"The Clements-Richardson?" Steve asked, stroking the head of one of the huskie pups who began climbing over him, smelling at him.

"They are a family who have a large home outside of the main part of town, it used to be a friary but thy renovated the place. They are a very large well off family but a very polite friendly one." Michael told Steve, "You will no doubt see them around here a lot of the time and Ty and Morgan tend to go over there a lot as well, especially Morgan."

"I go to" Dean piped up happily, rolling on the floor with Jasper and Franklin.

"You go as well Dean? Hey what are you doing boy? This cookie is mine not yours! Dean which dog is this one?" Steve asked, Dean turned and looked at the dog carefully.

"That's Zero" Dean said shyly "He belongs to Ty" He giggled when Jasper licked his face before the small golden puppy moved over to Steve, sniffing at him, clearly smelling the cookie. "I go to see Danni" he told Steve timidly, biting on his lower lip, his eyes wide as though he was startled at himself for supplying Steve with that information.

For a moment Steve could almost feel the weight crushing him ease off slightly. Somehow sitting on the floor being surrounded by puppies and his shy cousin helped.

"Is Danni your friend then? Some boy you go to school with?" Steve asked, keeping his eyes fixed on Zero. Dean shook his head but didn't answer.

"Danni isn't a boy Steve" Karen answered for them, smiling at the pair of them "Danni is the nickname of Danielle Clements-Richardson well Danielle Richardson, the kids never use their full barrel surname, they just call themselves Richardson. She and her twin brother David and their cousin Cole who lives with them are in the same class as Morgan. The four of them are inseparable, they are only a few weeks younger than he is. Anyway Danni often babysits Dean for us when we have to go out, she's a very sweet, kind girl" Karen looked at Dean suspiciously. "Deanie, I hope you aren't giving the puppies any cookies" she said sternly.

"No mamma" Dean answered. Karen shot him a searching look before she looked away sharing an amused look with Michael.

"So is Danni your girlfriend Dean?" Steve asked, paying attention to Franklin.

"I love Danni" Dean said stubbornly, his lower lip sticking out. "Danni's pretty like Mummy"

"Don't worry Dean, your Danni is safe from me" Steve said soothingly, looking towards the door when it slammed.

"Mum I'm home and starving! And before you ask Morgan has popped over to the Richardson house quickly and yes I walked with him to their house and yes Nathan Richardson is going to give him a lift back home shortly" a male voice said from the front door.

"That is Ty, he's home earlier than I expected him to be." Karen told Steve. Steve nodded getting to his feet, a nervous feeling coming over him. Tyler was the son who was closest to Steve in age, the one who would be in the year above him at school. The kitchen door flung open and a tall, handsome boy walked in. He came to a stop, his grey-green eyes, eyes which were the same as his Uncle's, narrowed slightly at him, taking him in before he turned to look at Karen.

"Hello Mom" he said "What's for dinner tonight? I'm freaking starving" he said, glancing down and grinning when Dean came to his feet and ran towards him.

"TY-TY" The small boy cried happily "Hey hey! Stevie has been playing with me and Jasper, he gave Hades a cookie whoops" He came to a stop, clapping his hand over his mouth, looking over his shoulder at Steve with a guilty wide eyed look.

Steve smiled at him, looking up, his smile disappearing when he caught the look which came to Tyler's face at the interaction. Tyler leaned down and picked up Dean.

"Sounds like you had a good day little man" he said before he hugged his brother and moved him to his hip. He took a step up to Steve and looked at him.

"So you are Steve then" he commented, an undertone to his voice which put Steve on edge. "Apparently you're coming to live with us now" he stated, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Steve straightened his spine, silently cursing when he saw that his cousin was taller than him.

"If it bothers you that much then I can leave, after all it is your house!" He snapped back.

"Yeah you're right there, it is my house. If you want to go then don't let the door hit you on the way out _cousin"_ he said scornfully, moving back and waving his hand towards the front door.

"Enough Ty" Karen snapped, "No one is going anywhere until they are at least eighteen" she told him as she stepped in-between them, pushing her son away from Steve and taking Dean from Tyler.

"Tyler a word. Now" Michael said firmly, grabbing his son by the back of his t-shirt and dragging him out of the room.

"Steve please ignore him" Karen told him, turning her attention to him. "He's a Landon, he's feeling protective of his territory and the fact that Dean has taken a shine to you straight away."

"He's right though isn't he, I don't belong here, I belong in Hawaii only my father doesn't want me. I should just pack my things and go to LA or New York or something."

"You're going nowhere Steven McGarrett" Karen said sharply, reaching out and gripping his shoulder tightly, staring into his eyes with an intent look. "You belong here, you are family and you are one of us. We're not throwing you out on the street and we aren't turning our backs on you. So you might as well simply accept that. You are not a burden on us" She told him.

"You guys have the perfect life here, I don't want to ruin this. There's clearly something defective with me, otherwise why would my father get rid of me?" he demanded

"Your father is a fool" Karen told him, reaching forward and pulling him into a hug holding onto him tightly. "But I promise you Steve that we are not. It won't be easy living here at times but you never know you might find something here in Maryland which has made all of this worthwhile. God works in mysterious ways Steve, we just don't know what it is yet."

"Don't go Stevie" Dean said, hugging Steve's leg.

"Hey mom, how did Ty do this time? Dad is talking to him about something and he's got that look on his face which makes you want to hide, Ty looks thoroughly crushed, and it's a good look on him. Hey little man, you all good today?" Grey eyes swung round and focused. "Who are you? One of my brother's friends?"

Steve pulled away from Karen to see a boy of medium height staring at him. He looked a mixture of Michael and Karen with wavy Dark brown the same shade as Karen's and bright Grey eyes. This must have been the missing McGarrett brother Morgan. He opened his mouth to create his cousin when Morgan spoke.

"Wait a minute, you must be Steve, the missing cousin who we've only hear about but never seen. It's nice to meet you fella. I'm Morgan so please call me Morgan, I don't answer to any nickname or variants of my name and yes I am also well aware that Morgan is also a girl's name. I'm hoping you're slightly more mature than other people I unfortunately know or who am related to, who think they are funny." He said with a grin.

"I'm Steve and I don't like nicknames either though this little man can call me Stevie" he said, reaching down and rubbing his hand over Dean's hair "As long as you call me Steve, I'll call you Morgan"

"Deal" Morgan replied, looking round as Michael and Tyler walked back into the kitchen. Michael's eyes found Steve.

"Steve? Tyler has something which he has to say to you."

Tyler looked at Steve, straightening his back and moving past Morgan, coming to a stop in front of Steve.

"I'm sorry" he said lowly, looking at Steve with a genuine look of regret and shame in his gaze. "That's not the welcome you deserve and that's not the way I was raised either. I've got no excuse other than the fact that I've had a bad day and took it out on you." He admitted, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck.

Steve glanced at Karen before he look back a Tyler and held out his hand, watching as Tyler's eyes dropped to it before he took it.

"Forget about it, I know all about having a bad day. I'm Steve"

"Awwww look at the pair of you, how sweet, are you going to kiss and make up now?"

"Shut it Morgan" Tyler snapped, letting go of Steve's hand and glared at his grinning brother over his shoulder.

"You know today is a day of celebration so let's go out instead" Karen said, clapping her hands together "How does everyone feel about Burger King?" She asked, grinning when the three boys cheered.

"Get ready then family" Michael called out grinning at Steve and moving him towards the front door.

Steve looked around him, taking in the excited chatter and smiles and felt a small smile come to his face.

Perhaps it would be okay here after all.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially big thank you if you've taken the time to review or favourite the story or follow it. I appreciate it more than you know!**


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